The Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett says he has no power to stop four ex-Fine Gael TDs from joining the Dáil Technical Group.

Mr Barrett says once a TD has written to him telling him they have joined, he has no role to stop them.

Lucinda Creighton says she - along with Billy Timmins, Terence Flanagan and Peter Mathews - all plan to join the technical group, to secure more speaking time in the Dáil.

But the rest of the group has concerns about allowing new members, and says it would take a change in Dáil rules to allow them to enter.

The group whip Catherine Murphy says Dáil rules forbid TDs who were elected for one party - but who are now independent - from joining the Technical Group.

She says if the Technical Group has to expand to accommodate more members, it should also be given more seats on the Dáil committees - as it would be a bigger group than either Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin.

However Ms Murphy added that the group had no desire to stop TDs from doing their jobs and representing their constituents in the Dáil.

She says the group will take legal advice on the issue.